Climate Talks

Environmental ministers and representatives met in Copenhagen in December 2009 to finalize an agreement on reductions in greenhouse gas emissions for industrialized countries and to agree on a plan of climate action and financial assistance for developing nations, such as India and China. The Copenhagen talks were expected to produce a replacement for the Kyoto Protocol, although they failed to do so. That goal has since been shifted to a Paris summit in late 2015.

The world is on course for climate catastrophe. Until the calamity is upon us, however, the 'war footing' argument for dramatic action won't find much support. Optimism is still the best tool for building a better world.